Replies

1. 
   woodrae | May 05, 2007 05:14pm | #1

   Hi, Mike—

   I love trestle-style furniture. It has a very direct appeal and an honest, solid-wood look.

   I am at a bit of a loss without a sketch from you. When you say two ‘legs,’ I assume you mean wide panels, right? Perhaps 20 in. or so wide? They can be 3/4 in. thick and work just fine to support the top, but thicker may look better proportionately, depending on the overall design. Take a look at George Nakashima’s tables and desks. Much of it is built in the style of a trestle, and he used very thick slabs for his leg panels. 2-in.-thick stock was not unusual for a large desk or dining table.

   Your leg panels will certainly support the weight of the granite, but they won’t prevent it from sagging, and possibly breaking, in the middle. For this you’ll need stretchers, or some sort of apron under the top, that connect from leg to leg and lay directly under the top. You’ll also need another set of stretchers lower down near the floor to triangulate the construction, which keeps the base from racking. The stretchers up top should be wide so they are stiff enough to support the stone and keep it from sagging, just like the floor joists under your floor. Perhaps 3 to 4 in., but I couldn’t say for sure without knowing how thick the stone is and what your overall design is.

   I don’t have a lot of experience with attaching stone, but I’ve tackled a few projects in my day. I’ve always used a few dabs of silicone caulk to adhere stone tops to wooden frames or plywood cases underneath. It works fine for me, but it may not be the best solution of you plan on moving the desk around the room. Before committing to the design and attachment sequence, I suggest you call your local stone or kitchen countertop people and ask them what they do when faced with a similar issue.

   Best of luck—

   Andy